ID : 28106
We are selling our beautiful rustic stone-built village house in south west France, in the wine producing area of Minervois, which we have owned since 2002. It is located in the village of Azillanet which has a lively and active community. The village has a locally renowned boulanger/coffee shop, and the nearest supermarket is a large Casino in nearby Olanzac. There are loads of good restaurants in the vicinity, and the Canal du Midi is close by. The nearest big commercial centres are in Lezignan about 20 mins away, with a train station, supermarkets, diy stores, etc., and Beziers, Narbonne and Carcassonne are within an hours drive.
The house is quite big, and arranged over 4 levels. It has beautiful south and west facing bare stone facades.
There is a basement under the front half of the house, which has a clay floor and a well which collects rainwater. The basement is accessed separately from the front of the house by a small south-facing, easily manageable, walled garden, which has another (dry) well. The garden is accessed directly from the road.
On the ground floor there is a large garage, which could take 2 cars, and which also has a clay floor. We’ve been using it in the time we’ve been here as a woodworking workshop.
There are two steps up from the road to the front door of the house which leads on to a large wide hallway. Off the hallway is a small kitchen/utility room, and the shower room. There is also a large kitchen/living room with a big fireplace and high mantle, and a separate more formal sitting room with marble fireplace.
At the end of the hall is a winder staircase leading to the first floor, which is currently arranged as 2 main bedrooms, another bedroom with a smaller room off it, and another uncompleted internal room. (The ideal layout would be to leave the 2 main bedrooms unchanged, and then reconfigure the other rooms to create a new master bedroom with ensuite and a separate family bathroom) .
All rooms and stairs have traditional red carrolage tiled floors, and there are original French windows throughout. The window shutters were put in by us about 12 years ago..
The stairs lead further on up to a second floor, which is a huge attic covering the whole footprint of the house.
There are small electric radiators in all the rooms, and there is a large electric water heater in the garage which supplies ample hot water. The house was rewired about 15 years ago. The electricity supply is low voltage and would need to be up upgraded for modern use.
The local area is great for walking/hiking, both in the surrounding hills and around the vineyards. The climate is obviously Mediterranean. There are fabulous views from the house across the distant vineyards, and views as far as the Pyrenees on clear days. The nearest beach is Narbonne, about 45 minutes away. The Spainish border is about 2 hours away, with easy access to the Costa Brava and Barcelona.
The village also has a mediateque/library, and several wine producers, as well as the boulanger. We have friendly neighbours. The area is very French with a smattering of people from other European countries as well as some British residents. The nearby larger town of Olanzac has shops and a lively market on Tuesdays.
The village is a very peaceful spot and we have enjoyed being here several times a year for the last 16 years. It’s a wonderful place to get close to nature and to get into the slow rhythm of village life.
We did a lot of improvements on the house in our first few years there, but we have unfortunately run out of steam. The roof needs to be redone in the next few years, and we have been quoted €35k by a local builder to replace it.
The house would ideally suit a someone who loves old buildings and a DIY enthusiast .
The nearest airports are Carcassonne and Beziers, less than an hour away, and Toulouse and Montpellier are about an hour and a half away. The motorway network can be picked up at Lezignan and Beziers.
The low asking price reflects the work required to bring house up to a modern standard. As it is, the house is perfectly usable for spring, summer and autumn – winters are more for hardy types!
Please see the photos and floor plans (with area measurements) attached. If you have any questions please get in contact.
Please email if you would like a better quality image of the floor plans.
